Morris tribune., 1887-03-30
JACKSON'S GREAT BATTLE.
Incidents Recalled by One Who Was Within Sound
of the Guns.

of the Guns.
In the morning of the preceding day
the famous battle of the 8th was
fought on the plains ofChalmette, four
miles below the city, says Charles
Gayarre, writing in Harper Magazine
of Gen. Jackson's battle at New Or
leans. In Decline the distance must
have been very short between the field
OF action and the Bore plantation six
miles above New Orleans by the wind
ings of the river, tor the furious can
nonading and the discharges OF mus
kerry were prodigiously distinct. The
ladies OF the family, pale with the nat
ural emotions of fear produced by the
dangers OF the situation, were
grouped on the broad gal
lery in front of the house.
No man was visible, for the only one
who had remained at home Ton &C
count of his age) had, when the bat
tie began, assembled with slow but firm
steps a flight OF stairs which led to
the top of the portico. At every vol
ley OF artillery or musketry | flung
myself on the floor exclaiming 'Ten
Englishmen killed." Twenty English
men fiat on the ground" and so on.
| continued rejoicing in the fancled de-
struction of our invaders, not with
standing the remonstrances OF my
poor mother, in whose alarm | very
little participated. The battle had
not vet ended when my grandfather
Bore came down from his post OF OBJ
servation with the same measured
step and the same self-posession with
which he had assembled, and said to
his daughters, who anXiOusly inter
rograted his looks: DISMISS your
fears; the Americans are victorious"
But, father, how do you know lt?''
inquired my mother.
you forget, my dear child replied
NJ. de Bore, with calm smile, chat
l have some military experience. My
practiced ear has not been deceived,
l am sure. The American guns have
silenced the English guns. The enemy
is defeated"
These words had hardly been spoken
when, in the long avenue OF pecan trees
that led to the river, there appeared
q troop OF about d hundred men rush
ing toward the house.
"The English Here come the En-
glishl" was the simultaneous cry of the
women. NJ. de Bore stretched himself
up to his full height. shaded his eyes
with his hand, and, after having look
ed steadily at the advancing crowd,
said, contemptuously 'These men
the English BAH"
They came rapidly to the piazza,
about six feet high, on which WestOOd,
and along which ran wooden balus-
trade. NJ. de Bore did not understand
one word OF the language spoken by
these unexpected visitors, whose rag
| a-muffin appearance was no recon-
mendation. But if they were bandits,
| it was comfortable to see that they
were all unarmed.
"Who are they and what do they
want?" inquired M. de Bore, survey,
ing them evidently with no friendly
| eye. He was informed by one of his
family that they were fugitives who
reported that the Americans had been
completely routed, that they them,
selves were a portion of the defeated
and that they begged for food. The
blood ran to the cheeks of the old
soldier, his eyes flashed, and he shout.
ed in French to the men: "You lie!
The Americans are victorious. You
have run away; you are towards
Never shall it be said that l gave q
hospitable welcome to distardly fugi
tives from the battlefield. Hence, all
of you, or l will call my negroes to
drive you away" His words were
not comprehended, but his indignant
wrath was visible and his pantomime
was expressive.